The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has called a government-industry meeting on May 26 to discuss the issues pertaining to research and development (R&D) in pharma sector. All major industry associations, with the exception of OPPI, have been invited for the meeting.

The meeting, which will be a brainstorming session, will discuss on R&D capabilities in private and public sectors, the issues pertaining to human resources in R&D, elaborative research and public-private partnership in R&D, etc. Apart from industry associations like IDMA, BDMA, SPIC, FOPE, CIPI and IPA, NIPER has also been invited for the meeting.

The brainstorming session will be held at India International Centre (IIC) in Delhi. The government has specified that only issue related to research and development (R&D) in pharma sector will be discussed in the meeting.

The meeting holds significance as it coincides with the formation of new government at the Centre. The Union health ministry will be under a new minister in a day or two and the department wanted to prepare a document related to the issues pertaining to R&D in pharma sector. Sources said that since the Union Budget is yet to be presented by the new government, the DoP wanted to be in readiness to press for the industry's demands related to R&D sector.

In fact, the industry was looking for several benefits in the Union budget last year presented by P Chidambaram to encourage R&D in the pharma sector, but was disappointed as no major benefits were announced in the last budget.